PhrasesHub

The heebie-jeebies

    Definitions

      • feeling of fear or anxiety
        To describe a feeling of unease or nervousness, often without a specific cause

      • discourage someone
        Advise against engaging in a particular activity or task, cautioning that it will not result in any positive outcome or benefit

    Examples of The heebie-jeebies

    • She got the heebie-jeebies when she saw a spider crawling on the wall.

      "Heebie-jeebies" is an informal phrase that describes a feeling of unease, nervousness, or fear that is typically caused by thinking about or encountering something creepy, crawly, or otherwise unexpected or unsettling. In this example, the woman's encounter with the spider made her feel uneasy and a little bit scared, which is what we might call the "heebie-jeebies."

    • The old house gave him the heebie-jeebies. The creaky floorboards, the musty smell, and the eerie silence all added to his unease.

      In this example, the entire atmosphere of the old house seems to have induced a sense of unease or nervousness in the speaker, which is what we might call the "heebie-jeebies."

    • The movie was so scary that I couldn't even sit through it without getting the heebie-jeebies.

      Here, the speaker is saying that the horror movie was so frightening that it caused her to feel uneasy or scared, which is what we might call the "heebie-jeebies."

    • I hate the feeling of the blinds rustling against the window in the wind. It gives me the heebie-jeebies.

      Here, the speaker is using "heebie-jeebies" to describe a particular sensation or feeling that she experiences when the blinds rustle in the wind. In this case, she seems to find the sound or motion of the blinds unsettling or creepy, which is what we might call the "heebie-jeebies."

    • Despite my rational mind, a creepy doll left in a dimly lit room gives me the heebie-jeebies.

      This example is using "the heebie-jeebies" as a figurative expression to describe an uneasy or creepy feeling often caused by something that is considered creepy, unusual, or surprisng. In this case, the speaker's rational mind tells them that the doll shouldn't cause fear, but the ambiance and previous associations with dolls or horror movies create a strong emotional response, resulting in "the heebie-jeebies."

    • The protagonist's predicament in the suspenseful novel made the reader's skin crawl and gave them the heebie-jeebies.

      This example illustrates how "the heebie-jeebies" can be used as a byproduct of being scared, uneasy, or anxious. Here, the protagonist's situation in the book created a sense of unease, discomfort, or nervousness in the reader, causing them to experience "the heebie-jeebies."

    • The idea of staying in a deserted house for a week gave me the heebie-jeebies.

      This example exemplifies how the idiom is used to denote a feeling of unease or nervousness about a situation. Here, the speaker is aware that spending a week alone in a deserted house can be unsettling or frightening, hence the creeping sensation known as "the heebie-jeebies."

    • Their presentation left me with the heebie-jeebies.

      This example demonstrates how "the heebie-jeebies" can also be used to denote a situation that was unexpected, unsettling, or slightly bizarre. Here, the speaker's response to the presentation was unusual, unpredictable, or simply strange enough to trigger "the heebie-jeebies."


    Conclusion

    "The heebie-jeebies" is a versatile idiom that can be used to describe a feeling of fear or anxiety, as well as to discourage someone from a certain activity or task by cautioning against its potential negative outcomes.

    Origin of "The heebie-jeebies"

    The origin of the idiom "the heebie-jeebies" is not entirely clear, but it is believed to have originated in the United States in the early 20th century. The word "heebie-jeebies" is thought to have been influenced by African-American slang, and it may have been coined as a playful or humorous way to describe a feeling of fear or anxiety. It is possible that "heebie-jeebies" was created as a nonsense word to convey a sense of unease without a specific cause.

    The idiom gained popularity in the 1920s and 1930s and has since become a widely recognized expression in the English language. It is often used in casual conversation to convey a sense of discomfort or to discourage someone from a certain course of action. Despite its unclear origin, "the heebie-jeebies" has become a common and colorful idiom in modern English.